George F. Hoar

But for those appointments, in my opinion, the strong objection felt by her people to giving any President of the United States a third term would not have prevented her supporting him for renomination in 1880, a support which would have…

Then Grant was apt, as I have said in another place, to sympathize with men who were bitterly attacked, especially men who were charged with dishonesty or corruption, because such charges were made against him.

For that I think he is entitled to greater honor than if he had never yielded to temptation.

If at any time he had formed such a habit he had put it under his feet.

Unless the people of this Commonwealth rise in their might and crush out this attempted fraud, they will have at the mouth of the Charles River another New York, with its frauds, Tweed rings and scandals.

It is one of the most important trusts that can be imposed upon a public official, to guard the purity of the vote of their fellow citizens.

He insulted the whole Commonwealth in trying to cast upon the foul imputation that she was inhuman and indifferent to her poor and unfortunate, and intimated that the tanning of human skins was a recognized Massachusetts industry.

He insulted the common school system of Massachusetts when he said that if his witness were a person of immoral character, the school system was responsible.

He insulted every colored man in the State, when, in an unguarded moment, speaking from his very soul, he called out: 'Give me the skin that came off the nigger.' He insulted the citizen soldiers of Massachusetts when he declared that they…

He insulted purity by a speech so gross that the principal Democratic paper in Boston declares it unfit for circulation, and demands that it be suppressed.

He insulted womanhood in the person of a defenceless girl.

I believe every charge he made broke down on his own evidence or was thoroughly refuted.

His telling Earle to obey his orders on pain of dismissal was as flagrant a violation of law and of the fundamental principles of the Constitution, as it was an injustice to as brave an officer, as honest a man as ever tied a sash around…

He has shown an utter want of understanding of the true theory of the Constitution.

I have a high respect for the people, but they do not change men's characters by their votes.

I do not concede for myself that truth is necessarily determined by majorities.

We sought a man whom the fathers and mothers of the Commonwealth would be willing to hold up to their children for imitation.

In determining on whom we would confer the title, His Excellency, we have sought a man who represented in his own person our standard of excellence.

If we deal differently with General Butler, it is because the difference is in him.

The honor and good fame of our beloved State is far above any question of party.

I suppose it is true of each one of you as of myself that among his chief comforts and pleasures in life is his pride in being a Massachusetts citizen.

Character is more important than opinion; good name to the State, as to the citizen, is better than riches.

You could hardly take up a morning paper without dreading that you should read of the removal from some position of honor of some brave honest soldier who had deserved well of his country, and the substitution of some disreputable person…

When Benedict Arnold taunts Jefferson that he did not go into battle in the Revolution, when Aaron Burr taunts John Adams with want of patriotism, then it will be time for you to boast yourself over the men who performed the duties of…

I bow reverently to the brave, modest, patriotic soldier, who, without thought of personal gain, gave youth, health, limb, life to save the country which he loved.